Feature and Giveaway: Duke of Desire by Elizabeth Hoyt

A LADY OF LIGHT

Refined, kind, and intelligent, Lady Iris Jordan finds herself the unlikely target of a diabolical kidnapping. Her captors are the notoriously evil Lords of Chaos. When one of the masked-and-nude!-Lords spirits her away to his carriage, she shoots him…only to find she may have been a trifle hasty.

A DUKE IN DEEPEST DARKNESS

Cynical, scarred, and brooding, Raphael de Chartres, the Duke of Dyemore, has made it his personal mission to infiltrate the Lords of Chaos and destroy them. Rescuing Lady Jordan was never in his plans. But now with the Lords out to kill them both, he has but one choice: marry the lady in order to keep her safe.

CAUGHT IN A WEB OF DANGER…AND DESIRE

Much to Raphael’s irritation, Iris insists on being the sort of duchess who involes herself in his life—and bed. Soon he’s drawn to both to her quick wit and her fiery passion. But when Iris discovers that Raphael’s past may be even more dangerous than the present, she falters. Is their love strong enough to withstand not only the Lords of Chaos but also Raphael’s own demons?

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ARC Review: Public Relations by Katie Heaney and Arianna Rebolini

When I saw the summary of “Public Relations” I was instantly interested in the plot and the idea of a up-and coming PR rookie trying to reestablish the persona of a big time rock star. I don’t usually read books written by two authors but both Heaney and Rebolini made the story line and dialogue flow.

When the story starts we meet Rose Reed. Rose is working at a PR firm but she is really a no body. Despite her best efforts in college, NYU to be exact, she didn’t end up working at the publications she had worked so hard for or dreamed of either. She works with her best friend and I have to say their witty banter and back and forth really added to the persona of Rose and also to believing the story. Since I grew up in the North East all the places described and the everyday situations seemed funny and real. Rose is running late to work when she finds out that she will be sitting in on a meeting with a very hot and talented British star-Archie Fox. Archie’s career needs a boost and he needs a competent PR firm to help him get his career back on track. Rose, despite being warned not to say a word and really only be a warm body at the meeting, offers suggestions that both Archie and his agent love. Much to the shock of her boss and her much more advanced co-workers. Archie is taken with Rose’s ideas and wants her to be by his side. Rose has a cute idea of pairing him up with an Indie Star, Raya. The idea is to give them press -which they both need- with their fake romance. As can be expected, Rose and Archie quickly start to fall for each other. They have cute conversations and little impromptu get together and neither can deny their feelings for each other.

There were many things that I liked about the story. Both Rose and Archie were cute and fun! The secondary characters all added to the story and made it seem real and genuine. I can easily see some of the things happening in the story happen in real life. Also, the struggle that Rose and Archie both face is endearing as they try to act professionally but at the same time they can’t squelch their attraction to one another. This was a cute and fun story and a good read.

**ARC provided by Publisher**

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Feature and Giveaway: Duke of Pleasure by Elizabeth Hoyt

IN THE ARMS OF DANGER

Bold. Brave. Brutally handsome. Hugh Fitzroy, the Duke of Kyle, is the king's secret weapon. Sent to defeat the notorious Lords of Chaos, he is ambushed in a London alley-and rescued by an unlikely ally: a masked stranger with the unmistakable curves of a woman.

IN THE HEAT OF DESIRE

Cocky. Clever. Courageously independent. Alf has survived on the perilous streets of St. Giles by disguising her sex. By day she is a boy, dealing in information and secrets. By night she's the notorious Ghost of St. Giles, a masked vigilante. But as she saves Hugh from assassins, she finds herself succumbing to temptation . . .

ONE KISS WILL CHANGE THEIR LIVES FOREVER

When Hugh hires Alf to investigate the Lords of Chaos, her worlds collide. Once Hugh realizes that the boy and the Ghost are the same, will Alf find the courage to become the woman she needs to be-before the Lords of Chaos destroy them both?

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ARC Review: Duke of Pleasure by Elizabeth Hoyt

The Maiden Lane series gets better and better and then better!  I could not wait to read Alf and the Duke of Kyle’s story! I’m still relatively new to this series but I am hooked on Hoyt’s writing! Her stories, that I have read, are always filled with action, tension, excitement and suspense! “The Duke of Pleasure” is no exception.

We first meet The Duke of Kyle in the previous book “The Duke of Sin”-which was absolutely fantastic.  We meet Alf in the previous two books and as we all probably know at this point; Alf is a woman. She lives in St. Giles and dresses like a boy for security reasons.  Alf has lived on the street of Giles for years. Alf makes an appearance in, I believe, the previous two books. She is paid by the Duke of Montgomery to gather up information.  The Duke of Kyle contracts her for the same purpose in the previous book but she cannot help him since the Duke of Kyle wants her to gather information on the Duke of Montgomery.  Hoyt also introduces a sinister and sick society in “The Duke of Sin.”  There we learn about a group of high society men that are a part of “Lords of Chaos.”  In “the Duke of Pleasure” Kyle is trying to end this society and quickly realizes that they have affected him in a very personal way.

First, the plot is fantastic!  Alf is such a lovely character. She is strong and fierce. She has moments where she is Alf and moments where she is The Ghost of St. Giles.  But, she is never really herself- a woman.  Alf is quick with a sword and even quicker jumping from roof top to roof top. But as a woman she is completely vulnerable.

Kyle was a little more complex. He was married to a woman that notoriously cheated on him, when she suddenly dies, he has to return to London -after a self-inflicted exile- to care for his boys.  Kyle is also a spy for the king and is working to take down this sinister, secret society.  He needs Alf’s help in order to gain information.

I loved Kyle and Alf! They had great chemistry and Alf is no sipping -tea -Miss. She is an action hero caught up in a regency period. Kyle, although a Duke, is a bastard that was acknowledge by the king as his own son.  Kyle is very driven and in many ways emotionally shut off. He is limited by who he thinks he should be and who he thinks “should” be his wife.  This story is action driven, between uncovering the truth of “The Lord of Chaos” and numerous attacks on both Kyle and Alf, this is an exhilarating story. My one little complain is that I wanted Kyle to have more emotion with Alf. There were many moments where they shared something intimate that I thought conversation or introspection should have followed-but didn’t. Nonetheless, such a great read. This is the kind of book where you struggle to finish quickly because you want to see how the story unfolds yet don’t want it to end. Just when I thought I could sit back and not count down till the next book… Hoyt gives us Iris and the Duke of Dyemore.

Hoyt really knows how to plot out a book. Iris, a secondary character and whom the next book is about, was so interesting. She is by no means a primary character but I’m already counting down to her and the Duke of Dyemore’s story, “The Duke of Desire.” I will just say it starts with Iris’ kidnapping and Dyemore getting shot… the countdown begins!

**ARC provided by Publisher**

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Feature and Giveaway: Two by Two by Nicholas Sparks

#1 New York Times bestselling author Nicholas Sparks returns with an emotionally powerful story of unconditional love, its challenges, its risks and most of all, its rewards.

At 32, Russell Green has it all: a stunning wife, a lovable six year-old daughter, a successful career as an advertising executive and an expansive home in Charlotte. He is living the dream, and his marriage to the bewitching Vivian is the center of that. But underneath the shiny surface of this perfect existence, fault lines are beginning to appear...and no one is more surprised than Russ when he finds every aspect of the life he took for granted turned upside down. In a matter of months, Russ finds himself without a job or wife, caring for his young daughter while struggling to adapt to a new and baffling reality. Throwing himself into the wilderness of single parenting, Russ embarks on a journey at once terrifying and rewarding-one that will test his abilities and his emotional resources beyond anything he ever imagined.

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ARC Review: Duke of Sin by Elizabeth Hoyt

I feel like I have been waiting for “Duke of Sin “ (Maiden Lane #10 ) since I started reading this series with Duke of Midnight. I was instantly hooked on the series and I’ve been trying to read the previous books but they are not necessary to appreciate the stories, they are easily stand alone.

First, I was so eager for Val’s story I was worried I would be disappointed! But I can say there was not one word or line that disappointed me in “Duke of Sin.” I devoured it! Once I started reading it I was hooked on the story, the characters and how Hoyt would unfold the story.

Let’s start with Val. He is so complex, multi-layered, feral and unapologetic that I was fascinated by him. One of my pet peeves is when a hero is presented as a hero/anti-hero/ rogue and then, well, really isn’t. Val is definitely a villain who doesn’t find it necessary to dress in hero’s clothing. He is absolutely awful and intriguing. He stops at nothing to win, and is a winner takes all type of hero. I found him so fascinating in the previous books and in his story he lives up to his reputation.

Next, the heroine- Bridget Crumb. She is a servant in Val’s house. Even though this is her work she has a very specific purpose for being here. Bridget is probably the antithesis of Val. Where he grew up rich she had very humble beginnings. Where Val is egotistical, Bridget often has to be reminded to stand up for her own interests. Now, this is the part I love best! Bridget is fierce. She is not afraid of Val and doesn’t back down from him. Val is instantly intrigued with Bridget. He, who is a very good study of peoples’ nature, knows that there are many layers to Bridget and he is not afraid to find out what those layers are. Val and Bridget are a fantastic couple- they go down as one of my favorite. The pacing of the story is fantastic. Val who has been exiled in previous books is ready to come out of hiding. He is not afraid of society nor those who want to harm him, and because Val is a blackmailer and manipulator-he has a list of enemies. Val is anything but boring and he was so much fun to read about. Even though there are many light and witty barbs shared with him and Bridget, Val is a very deep and spirited person and there are some very dark moments in the story. However, once he cares for someone there is very little he will not do for them.

Finally, Hoyt has once again hooked me and now I am anticipating the next book “Duke of Pleasure” where the infamous Ghost is a woman! Plus, Alf! What does she have in store for her? Loved, loved, loved “Duke of Sin.” Found it incredibly climatic and highly enjoyable. Now the count down to “Duke of Pleasure” begins!

**ARC provided by Publisher**

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ARC Review: Sweetest Scoundrel by Elizabeth Hoyt

This is the third book I have read by Elizabeth Hoyt in her “Maiden Lane” series and I just love it! Even though I have not read all the books in the series I just love how she keeps coming up with different characters and how she interweaves them throughout!

Even though this is a little out of order, I have to say I cannot wait to see what she does that the horrible Valentine Napier, the Duke of Montgomery!!! He is so awful I cannot wait to see what she has in store for him and Bridge Crumb- the housekeeper. He has had it coming for over two stories now. Even the little snippets we saw of him in this story were fantastic!

Now on to the hero and heroine in this story, Eve Dinwoody is the illegitimate sister of Val or the Duke of Montgomery. He has always protected her and looked out for her and Val has given the financing of the theater, Harte’s Folley, to her. Eve is a very smart and pragmatic business woman. She also loves her brother and is unbendingly loyal to him. Asa Makepeace is also unbendingly loyal to the theatre. It is his passion and his life. He takes his job of managing the theatre very seriously. When Eve decides to take a “hands on” approach to managing the theatre Asa is less than happy about her meddling.

I really liked Asa and Eve together. Right off they don’t like each other and they rub each other the wrong way, but it makes for wonderful tension and wonderful reading. Eve is a very isolated individual. She has no friends and no connections outside of her brother-for her, emotional connections are very difficult. Asa is very outspoken and crude- he says what he means and means what he says. I loved how they both got underneath each other’s skin. Asa really breaks through Eve’s isolation and in many ways she helps him reconnect with his family. I loved the background that the author provided on both these characters and it became easy to see why they had the different hang-ups that they did.

Aside from the great chemistry between Asa and Eve, Hoyt also includes a little bit of mystery as Asa’s work at the theatre is being sabotaged. I was curious to see who was causing all the trouble and placing the lives of these people in danger. The presence of Val was also a good addition to the story since I am impatiently awaiting his story. The characters from “Darling Beast” and “Dearest Rogue” also appear and I enjoyed their participation in the story.

Needless to say I continue to be a huge fan of this series. Hoyt combines so many great elements in the series that the minute I finish one story I am impatient for the next. I can almost feel how great “Duke of Pleasure” will be to read. This was a great addition to the “Maiden Lane” series.

**ARC provided by Publisher**

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Feature and Giveaway: See Me by Nicholas Sparks

See me just as I see you . . .

Colin Hancock is giving his second chance his best shot. With a history of violence and bad decisions behind him and the threat of prison dogging his every step, he's determined to walk a straight line. To Colin, that means applying himself single-mindedly toward his teaching degree and avoiding everything that proved destructive in his earlier life. Reminding himself daily of his hard-earned lessons, the last thing he is looking for is a serious relationship.

Maria Sanchez, the hardworking daughter of Mexican immigrants, is the picture of conventional success. With a degree from Duke Law School and a job at a prestigious firm in Wilmington, she is a dark-haired beauty with a seemingly flawless professional track record. And yet Maria has a traumatic history of her own, one that compelled her to return to her hometown and left her questioning so much of what she once believed.

A chance encounter on a rain-swept road will alter the course of both Colin and Maria's lives, challenging deeply held assumptions about each other and ultimately, themselves. As love unexpectedly takes hold between them, they dare to envision what a future together could possibly look like . . . until menacing reminders of events in Maria's past begin to surface.

As a series of threatening incidents wreaks chaos in Maria's life, Maria and Colin will be tested in increasingly terrifying ways. Will demons from their past destroy the tenuous relationship they've begun to build, or will their love protect them, even in the darkest hour?

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